Networks often include nodes responsible for forwarding traffic to one another. For example, a network may include a node that establishes a communication session (such as a Transport Control Protocol (TCP) session) with another node. In this example, the node may send traffic in connection with the communication session to a router that is capable of forwarding the traffic to the other node by way of certain routes. In the event that the router is able to identify an application that is linked to the communication session in one way or another, the router may make certain forwarding decisions based at least in part on that application.
Such a communication session may sometimes be referred to as a flow. Unfortunately, in the event that the flow is unknown and/or the first of its kind, the router may be unable to identify and/or determine which application is linked to the flow until after receiving a certain number of packets in connection with the flow. As a result, the router may resort to forwarding the packets of that unknown flow along a default route, thereby potentially leading to high-cost routing and/or poor performance.
The instant disclosure, therefore, identifies and addresses a need for additional and improved systems and methods for predictively forwarding unknown flows.